Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Biological fluids are frequently assayed to monitor or diagnose medical conditions. Collection of blood for diagnostic assays usually requires piercing of the patient's skin. Fear of sampling methods may deter patients from obtaining necessary medical testing, delaying or even preventing the diagnosis of potentially serious health conditions. Patients are often required to have the blood sample collected at a medical facility. The expense and inconvenience of this may further decrease compliance with recommended monitoring regimens.